There is no legal definition of online bullying within UK law. However there are a number of existing laws that can be applied to cases of online bullying and online harassment.

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This includes:
- Protection from Harassment Act 1997
- Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
- Malicious Communications Act 1988
- Communications Act 2003
- Defamation Act 2013
Guidelines revised by the Crown Prosecution Service in 2018 explain how cases of online bullying will be assessed under the current legislation. Download the ‘CPS Guidelines’ here.
The Defamation Act 2013 came into force on 1st January 2014. To read the act and for more information click here.